Rehearsals are now well and truly underway in the city of Tel Aviv, which will be hosting this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Today sees the fourth day of rehearsals, with the second half of the second semi-final evening taking to the impressive stage of Expo Tel Aviv.

Nine countries are all set to make their debut onstage, 9 days before their live performance at the second semi-final. Following their rehearsal, a Meet & Greet session will be coming next. These countries are Croatia, Malta, Lithuania, Russia, Albania, Norway, The Netherlands, North Macedonia and Azerbaijan.

The Balkan nation is being represented by the winner of Festivali i Këngës 57, Jonida Maliqi, who is a very popular singer and television presenter in her country. Performing a song about the Albanian immigration, Jonida is hoping for a spot at the Grand Final, as well as a high place on the scoreboard.

Jonida takes to the stage wearing one of the more elaborate dresses we have seen so far this year. Her dress is black, with short sleeves and a very low scoop neckline. The skirt is A-line and opaque, with a few horizontal strips in solid black. Gold patterns adorn the dress all over, with an almost Egyptian-esque tableau on the front.

Gallery of Albania’s first rehearsal